Pitless well adaptors



y 1958 w. MAAss ETAL 2,841,223

' PITLESS WELL ADAPTORS 2 SheetsSheet 1 Filed March 25, 1957 July 1, 1958 Filed March 25, 1957 H. w. MAASS ETAL PITLESS WELL ADAPTORS "FIT-E3 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 VENTORS Zd W er d w 2,841,223 PITLESS WELL ADAPTORS Herbert W. Maass and Raymond W. Shoberg, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application March 25, 1957, Serial No. 648,254 4 Claims. (Cl. 166-88) This invention relates to improvements in pitless well adaptors.

Well installations of the so-called pitless type, including a submergible pump, must, according to various State codes, provide for the well casing being sealed against the entrance of foreign matter and drainage, but the construction must also permit the removal and inspection of the submergible pump and its motor from time to time.

With the foregoing in mind it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a pitless well adaptor for submergible pump wells in which the pump and its appurtenances can be conveniently and quickly removed for repairs and inspection by the mere removal of a cap or plate on the top of the well casing, without the necessity of digging around the casing or removing any of the sec tions thereof, the construction furthermore providing a well casing below the frost line in the ground with a laterally extending sealed box of triangular contour forming a part of the well casing and communicating with the interior thereof which seals the well casing against the entrance of foreign matter and drainage water.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a pitless well adaptor, a laterally extending triangular box which, during installation, may be lowered against the outer wall portion of the casing and accurately registered with a rectangular opening provided therefor in the casing wall, leaving an accessible protruding ledge or sill which facilitates the welding of the triangular box to the casing to ultimately seal the box to the casing.

A further, more specific object of the invention is to provide, in a pitless well installation, a box communicating with the interior of the well casing and sealed thereto, which box and associated portion of the well casing will meet all sanitary requirements in the elimination of pockets which might collect foreign matter and condensation to eliminate contamination of the water in the well or that passing through the flow or supply pipes.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a pitless well adaptor of the class described, an easily applied box of triangular contour which has steeply inclined walls to afford effective drainage of water condensation into the well casing and away from the pipe connections, the lower edge or wall of the triangularly shaped box also forming an internal lip which prevents condensation or water from collecting on the inner wall of the casing, the steep inclination of the lip on the lower wall of the box directing the water of condensation back into the well casing.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a pitless well adaptor of the class described, a bronze connector casting arranged so that there is free water flow from the upper end of the Well flow pipe through the casting and nipple and into the water supply pipe, without obstructions.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a pitless well adaptor of a character to facilitate installation of the parts and mounting and welding of the triangular box, the entire installation being devoid of ledges, pockets and the like in which dirt, foreign matter and condensation might collect.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pitless well adaptor which is of very simple construction, which States Patent meets all sanitary and code requirements, which is easy to install and service, which is efiicient in operation, and which is well adapted for the purposes described.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved well adaptor, and its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

in the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through the upper portion of a well installation of the pitless and submergible pump type embodying the improved adaptor;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the showing in Fig. 1 with a portion of the cap plate broken away;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side view of that portion of the well casing which includes the sealed triangular box and the water supply pipe leading from the well casing; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view at right angles to the showing in Fig. 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and to Fig. 1 thereof, it will appear that the well casing, of circular form in cross-section, is indicated by the numeral 8 and protrudes above the ground level a required dis tance. The upper end of the casing 8 has applied thereto a flanged sealing cap 9 which may be secured in closing relation by a set screw it A portion of the sealing cap 9 has an upwardly projecting hollow extension 11 having a circular opening 12 in the top wall thereof normally closed by a plate 13 removably secured in closing relation by screws 14. The sealing cap extension 11 has a down turned bored nose 15 extending adjacent a flanged side of the sealing cap 9, into the lower end portion of which is threaded the upper end portion of a pipe 16 which carries the electrical cable 17 for the well pump mechanism. There may be used with the well a conventional pump and motor of the type found on the open market, and which have not been illustrated.

A particular feature of the invention resides in the provision of a box 18 which is of triangular contour. The well casing 8, below the frost level, is provided with a rectangular opening 19 in a portion of its wall to which the triangular box 18 is applied in the manner shown in the drawing to close the rectangular opening in the well casing wall and to project outwardly laterally therefrom. To seal the triangular box 18 to the well casing and close the opening 19 the lower edge of the downwardly inwardly inclined wall of the box 18 is engaged within the lower edge or sill of the well casing opening 19 and is welded thereto as at 2%. Because the lower wall of the box 13 is steeply inclined a welder may get ready access to the surfaces to be welded together and can view the work as it is progressing. Lines of weld 21 are also applied along the vertical side edges of the box and along the top edge of the upwardly inclined wall, as at 22, and the shape of the box greatly facilitates the welding operation and insures a good weld and seal.

Projecting into the lower inclined wall of the box 18 and welded thereto, is a steel nipple 23 whose threaded outer end portion is threaded into one end portion of a 45 elbow 24 which also has threaded thereinto the inner end portion of a horizontally directed water supply pipe 25.

, The numeral 26 designates a bronze casting in the form of a fitting having a downwardly directed oblique lateral extension. The main portion of the fitting 26 has a chamber 27 therein in communication with the hollow portion of the downwardly inclined oblique lateral extension 28 and which, in the installation, projects into the interior of the triangular box 18 to receive and connect with the inner tapered end portion of the nipple 23 which has a force fit within the bore of the fitting extension portion 28,

and fluid leakage is prevented by an O-ring 29. The lower portion of the bronze fitting 26 has a vertically directed internally threaded opening therein communicating with the fitting chamber 27 and into which is threaded the upper end portion of a flow pipe 39 which extends downwardly into the lower portion of the well casing to have water forced upwardly therein when the well pump is in operation. it is obvious that the flow of water will be as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1, the water passing from the upper end of the flow pipe 36 through the bronze fitting cavity 27, into through the nipple 23 and elbow 24 and then through the supply pipe 25 to wherever the water is to be utilized. This entire passageway is devoid of obstructions.

The upper end portion of the bronze fitting 26 is provided with an internally threaded socket 31 into which the lower end portion of a drop pipe 32 may be threaded when the installation is being made, or when parts are to be removed from the well casing for repairs and inspection. It will be observed from Fig. 1 that the socket in the bronze casting 2-6 is vertically aligned with an opening 33 in the top of the sealing cap 9 which is also in registration with the opening 12 in the sealing cap extension 11. Thus, when the plate 13 is removed the drop pipe 32 may be applied and manipulated. For servicing the well, adaptor and other parts, no digging around the well casing is required.

When the parts are assembled as in Fig. 1 it will be obvious that horizontal walls and ledges such as might collect and retain condensation and foreign matter are entirely eliminated. The inclined walls of the box 18, which is offset from the casing proper and which houses the nose portion of the bronze casting and nipple, facilitate the how of wa er condensation and foreign matter into the interior of the well casing 8 so that condensation and foreign matter will not collect around the fitting joints. The lowermost inclined wall of the box 18 is especially effective in eliminating pockets and in providing a lip directed inwardly of the casing wall to cause undesired foreign matter to flow or gravitate into the well casing and not pccl-Zet or collect in the area of the box and fittings. The upper end portion of the bronze casting 26 is formed with a downwardly outwardly inclined opening 34 which allows drainage of condensation or foreign matter which might collect in the socket 31 in the upper end of the member 2d.

An outwardly projecting lateral box on a wall casing section to house a portion of the detachable connections is important in the event that the flow pipe and connections are required to be removed from the casing for re-drilling or servicing the well. In this event, applicants fitting 28 is pulled out of the well casing and detached from the inner end of the nipple 23. Then only the nipple remains in the box 18 and the full cross-sectional area of the casing is available and unobstructed for the use of a drill or other tools.

Besides providing pocketless inclined surfaces to eliminate the collection of condensation and foreign material, the adaptor and triangular box 18 are of a construction which greatly simplifies installation problems. -In welding the box 18 to the casing, because of the steeply inclined bottom wall of the triangular box, the welder can easily view the line of weld and obtain ready access thereto, which will result in a better and more efiective weld accomplished with less time and effort.

The improved pitless well adaptor is of simple and novel construction and is well suited for the purposes described.

What is claimed as the invention is:

l. in a well casing having an underground hollow section with an opening in its wall, an edge of which forms a sill, a laterally extending box of triangular contour rigidly secured to the housing in registration with said opening with the lowermost wall of the box forming an acute angle to the axis of the casing section and having its lower edge extending into said opening and engaging said sill, a flow pipe within said casing section, a chambered, oblique lateral fitting having its main portion connected to and in communication with the flow pipe, a nipple rigidly mounted in the lower wall of said box and connected at its inner end to the lateral portion of the fitting, and a supply pipe connected to the outer end portion of the nipple.

2. In a well casing having an underground hollow, vertica ly directed section with a rectangular opening in its wall, the lower margin of said opening forming a sill, a laterally extending box of triangular contour rigidly secured to the housing in registration with said opening with the lowermost wall of the box forming an acute angle to the axis of the casing section and extending into said opening and secured to said sill to direct con-- densation and foreign matter into the casing, a vertical flow pipe within said casing section, a chambered, oblique lateral fitting having its main portion connected to and in communication with the flow pipe, a nipple having an intermediate portion rigidly mounted in the lower wall of said box and connected at its inner end to the lateral portion of the fitting, and a supply pipe connected to the outer end portion of the nipple.

3. in a well casing having an underground hollow section with an opening in its wall, the lower edge of said wall opening being transverse to the axis of the hollow section and forming a sill, a laterally extending box of triangular contour having its lower edge extending into said wall openingand welded to the sill, the other margins of the box being rigidly welded to the housing adjacent said opening with the angularly related walls of the box being oblique to the axis of the casing section, a vertical flow pipe within said casing section, a bronze lateral fitting having a main portion connected to and in communication with the flow pipe, said fitting also having a communicating downwardly outwardly inclined extension within the box, the upper end of the main portion of the fitting having a drop pipe-receiving socket therein with a drain orifice, a nipple intermediately rigidly mounted in the lower inclined wall of said box and being tapered at its inner end to have a force fit with the fitting exten ion, an O-ring within the fitting extension and en the inner end portion of the nipple, a supply pipe, and an elbow connecting the inner end portion of the supply pipe to. the outer end portion of the nipple.

4. In a well, a vertical casing having a rectangular opening in its wall, the lower edge of which forms a sill, a laterally ofiiset triangular cox rigidly secured to the casing over said opening communicating wi h the interior of the casing and forming a pocket oblique to the axis of the casing, the lowermost wall-of said box extending into the casing adjacent the sill and being secured to the sill by a line of weld applied laterally of the casing, a water supply pipe exteriorly of the casing, a vertical water fiow pipe within the casing, a downwardly .outwardly directed nipple anchored in a lower wall portion of the box oblique to the water flow pipe, an elbow connecting the supply pipe to the outer end portion of the nipple, and a fitting for forming a connection between the upper end portion of the flow pipe and the nipple. said fitting having a main body portion directly cm nectable with the flow pipe and a downwardly dii ct oblique lateral extension whereby when the fitting lowered into the casing to connect with the flow pipe rotation of the fitting will project the oblique lateral extension thereof into .the box in registrati n with the nipple, there being O-ring and taper means on the lateral extension and inner end portion of the nipple for effecting a force fitting between the same.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,707,030 Ortman Apr. 26, 1955 

